North Metro Corridor Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) Public Hearings. December 9 & 10, 2009

Transcription

1 North Metro Corridor Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) Public Hearings December 9 & 10,

2 Welcome & Introductions 2

3 3

4 What Are We Doing Here Tonight? Public Hearing for RTD North Metro Corridor Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) Open House Portion Presentation Portion Comments Portion 4

5 Why the Public Hearing? To Present the Results of the North Metro Corridor Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) Highlights in Presentation Details in Open House To Solicit Your Comments on the DEIS What are your comments and why? 5

6 Your Comments to the DEIS by Jan 15, 2010 Tonight: verbal during comment period verbal to the court reporter written using comments form or computers written drop off previously written comments Online at select North Metro Corridor By at By mail Dave Beckhouse, FTA c/o North Metro Project th Street, #900 Denver, CO

7 Rules for Verbal Comments During Comment Period Please sign up at the welcome area 3 minute limit State your name, address, and organization (if applicable) Cannot give your 3 minutes to others Please focus your comment on the alignment, stations, vehicle technology, impacts and mitigation All comments will be addressed in the FEIS We are not responding to comments tonight 7

8 Agenda Welcome & Introductions Why this EIS? Purpose and Need Alternatives Considered Recommendations & Project Benefits Environmental Summary Public & Agency Outreach Summary Schedule & Next Steps Receive Verbal Comments from Public Continue Open House 8

9 EIS Process Overview 9

10 Why Do an EIS? Required for a Major Federal Action (the proposed project) Discloses the Estimated Impacts and Proposed Mitigation for the Project Supports the Decision Making Process Serves as a Forum for Public Input 10

11 EIS Study Area 11

12 Purpose & Need Purpose...to implement high capacity, fixed guideway transit within the North Metro Corridor (Study Area) between Denver Union Station and 162 nd Avenue area in Thornton. Needs to improve mobility to enhance regional connectivity to serve traditional and new transit users to support community and regional plans 12

13 Alternatives Considered 13

14 Range of Alternatives Considered No Action Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Light Rail Transit (LRT) Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) Other Alternatives 14

15 Build Alignment Alternatives Considered 15

16 Alternatives Evaluation 16

17 Recommendations 17

18 DEIS Build Alternative 18

19 Build Alternative - Southern Section Alignment Options in DEIS A-3, B-2, B-3, B-4 19

20 EMU is Preferred Vehicle Technology More cost-effective than DMU Fewer environmental impacts General public preference Fewer noise impacts and less noise wall construction than DMU 20

21 Build Alternative Proposed Operations Plan Weekday Base Service 30 min headway each direction DUS to 162 nd Ave / SH hours per weekday Weekday Peak Period Service Additional service each direction DUS to 162 nd Ave/SH 7 6 peak hours 3 morning / 3 afternoon 21

22 Recommended Stations Denver Coliseum or Stock Show Commerce City 72 nd Avenue 88 th Avenue w/o Welby Road Relocation 104 th Avenue only option 112 th Avenue parking west of York option 124 th Avenue RTD option 144 th Avenue west side 162 nd Avenue/SH 7 east side 22

23 Capital Cost $1,066 million YOE DUS to 162 nd Ave/SH 7 EMU vehicle technology 8 New Stations Right of Way 23

24 Project Benefits Mobility Ridership 14,300 in 2030 Faster travel time than auto: DUS to SH 7 in 2030 (27 min vs. 62 min); improved reliability Increase in overall transit use & connectivity Reduced VMT and VHT Economic & Land Use Jobs for construction Improved access to jobs, especially for transit dependants Land use support and TOD opportunities 24

25 Environmental Summary 25

26 Key Environmental Topics Transportation System Social & Environmental Justice Property Acquisition & Economics Cultural Noise Visual Parks & Open Space Trails Other 26

27 Transportation System Traffic Impacts 120 th Ave Crossings Mitigation: Protection Upgrades & Grade Separation at 104 th and 120 th Stations Mitigation: Intersection re-configuration, signalization, turn lanes CDOT I-70 East Project Conflicts Mitigation: Coordinate with CDOT Freight Railroad Access Mitigation: North-temporal separation; South-may need agreement with Railroads 27

28 Social Impacts Barrier Effect New Alignments Increased Train Use Mitigation: Identified pedestrian & bike crossings to maintain connections including social trails Environmental Justice Property acquisition impacts Investigations: Surveys will be conducted in the FEIS 28

29 Property Acquisition and Economic Impacts Right of Way Acquisition Acres Approximately 80 Parcels Affected Acquisitions with Relocations 0-3 Residential Commercial/Industrial Loss of Opportunity to Extract Minerals Mitigation: Coordinate with Current Property Owners and Comply with Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 Note Will try to further minimize impacts as more detailed design advances. 29

30 Cultural Resources Impacted Paleontological Resources 1 impact from alignment Archaeological Resources: Adverse Effect Quimby RR Stop Eastlake RR Stop Historic Built Environment Adverse Effect 124 th Avenue Farmstead Mitigation: MOA with SHPO, FTA and RTD 30

31 Noise Noise Impacts - EMU (2030) 1,172-1,275 total impacted sites severe Post-Mitigation Impacts from Quiet Zones and Noise Walls: 143 total impacted sites 4 severe Mitigation: Quiet Zones (local jurisdictions) Noise Walls Investigating Additional Measures 31

32 Visual Visual Impacts Noise Walls (37,200+ linear feet; 8 feet high) Fencing length of corridor Overhead Catenary length of corridor Aerial structures Mitigation: Consult local jurisdictions on design 32

33 Parks and Open Space Globeville Landing Park Impacted by alignment 15 trees removed 3 frisbee golf holes Yucca Way Property Impacted by station parking Grandview Ponds Open Space and Prairie Dog Habitat Impacted by relocating pond at 104 th Avenue Station Mitigation: Coordinate with Jurisdictions Globeville Landing Park Yucca Way Property 33

34 Trails Trails Direct Impact: Fernald Trail Signal Ditch Trail Rocky Top Middle School Connector Trail Fernald Trail Mitigation: Coordinate with Jurisdictions and Schools Realign or Grade Separate Signal Ditch Trail Rocky Top MS Trail 34

35 Other Wetlands acres acres Other Water features Mitigation: As specified in 404 Permit with USACE Health, Safety & Security Potential industrial incidents Hazardous materials impacts Mitigation: Additional investigations 35

36 Outreach Summary Project Notices 100,000 + Major Public Meetings 20+ Other Meetings/Presentations 90+ Public Comments Received 1,400 Other Public Outreach Efforts newsletters/e-news including bilingual web site Agency Coordination 36

37 Schedule & Next Steps 37

38 DEIS Build Alternative 38

39 Schedule/Next Steps Public Hearings 9 & 10 December 2009 End DEIS Comment Period 15 Jan 2010 Address DEIS Comments Address Other Outstanding Issues Refine Engineering of Project Elements Refine Impact Calculations & Mitigation Measures Agency Coordination Ongoing Intergovernmental Agreements (IGA) FEIS Spring 2010 ROD Summer 2010 Quiet Zones work with Jurisdictions on Applications DESIGN BUILD RFQ Winter 2010 DESIGN BUILD RFP Early 2011 OPEN

40 Rules for Verbal Comments During Comment Period Please sign up at the welcome area 3 minute limit State your name, address, and organization (if applicable) Cannot give your 3 minutes to others Please focus your comment on the alignment, stations, vehicle technology, impacts and mitigation All comments will be addressed in the FEIS We are not responding to comments tonight 40

41 Comments? 41